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Lifetime
Learners Institute |
| Home | Member Handbook |
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| A. NCC-LLI
Affiliation Agreement The 1993 Affiliation Agreement stated that LLI would be governed by its own bylaws, and its own Board of Directors, which would include a college representative, and that LLI programs would not duplicate college courses. NCC would provide classroom space as available during daytime hours; use of audiovisual equipment, copying equipment and paper, mail reception and bulk-mailing assistance, and utilization of the college library. The Institute's administrative relationship with the college would be through the Division of Continuing Education (now Extended Studies and Workforce Education). |
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B. Beyond the Affiliation Agreement In practice, NCC provides more to LLI than the Agreement calls for, including office space and furniture, a connection to the NCC computer network and technical assistance. LLI members may use the open computer labs and the NCC Fitness Center. Our members volunteer services to NCC, such as mentoring, participation in the "Conversation Partners" program for English as a Second Language students, library assistance, rush mailings, registration-day help, and participation in Foundation fundraising. |
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C. LLI contributions to the NCC Foundation
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At the
end of each academic year, Lifetime Learners
Institute contributes to the NCC Foundation. The funds come from two sources: (1) contributions made to the Foundation by members via LLI; and (2) LLI operating surpluses. |
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| Lifetime Learners Institute, Inc. Scholarship Fund. All of the money contributed by members, and a portion of the money contributed by the Institute to the Foundation, goes to the Lifetime Learners Scholarship Endowment. The Endowment is now in excess of $100,000. From the return on these funds, the Foundation awards scholarships in LLI's name. | |||||||||
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Other LLI Contributions.
Funds for the Foundation not earmarked by the Board
of Directors for the Endowment are allocated to: (1) Scholarships to NCC students working toward careers in Human Services, Nursing or Recreation. The recipients, selected by the LLI Scholarship Committee, receive their checks at the LLI Annual Meeting. (2) Departments of the school that are especially helpful to LLI. |
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| D. LLI contributions to NCC programs | |||||||||
| Conversation
Partners. Over
1,200 foreign students attend Norwalk
Community College every year, representing
over 50 countries around the world. One of
their greatest needs is to practice speaking
English. LLI members participate in the
“Conversation Partners” program, which
involves spending an hour a week with NCC
students in the English As a Second Language
(ESL) Program. |
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| E. NCC courses Many LLI members also take NCC courses. Connecticut citizens at least 62 years old pay no tuition or fees for General Fund courses on a space-available basis. Courses are listed in the printed catalogs available on campus, and on the NCC website. Senior Registration Day. After student registration, just before NCC classes begin, there is a Senior Registration Day. Like all other students, senior registrants are assigned an NCC ID number (banner number) at their first registration. Seniors, like all other students, can take courses for credit or be auditors. |
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| F. NCC Extended
Studies courses LLI members can also take courses offered by the Division of Extended Studies & Workforce Education. For these courses, LLI members pay the listed fees. Along with Professional Development courses, there are lower-cost Lifestyle Programs. The catalogs, which are mailed to many residents, are also available on campus and online. |
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A. Governing
documents LLI-NCC Affiliation
Agreement. This is the primary governing
document. LLI Bylaws. First
adopted in 1992, the Bylaws are amended from time to time by
the membership. The Bylaws are available in the LLI office and on this website. Policies &
Procedures Manual. The Board approves LLI
policies and procedures to be followed by each
committee. The Manual is available in the LLI
office. |
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| B. Board of Directors The Board of Directors is composed of ten elected members and one Director appointed by the College. Directors are elected for a term of two years and may be re-elected for one additional term. Each year five new Directors are elected. |
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| Nomination and election
of Directors The process is described in the Bylaws, Article VI, Section 5. Any member may propose his/her own candidacy or nominate others. A Nominating Committee begins its work in January of each year. Nominations must be received by mid-March. Voting is done by mail ballot, and the results are reported at the Annual Meeting. |
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| Officers. The Board elects officers shortly after the Annual Meeting: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Secretary serve one-year terms. The President nominates a Treasurer, who must be approved by the Board, for a one-year term. If not an elected director, the Treasurer becomes a voting Board member not subject to term limitations. | |
| Meetings. The Board meets on the second Wednesday of every month. All members are welcome to attend. Dates, times, and room numbers are posted in the calendar on the LLI website. | |
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C. Annual Meeting An annual membership meeting is held each year in May. The Annual Meeting is a year-end occasion for the membership to get together. After refreshments, the business meeting includes the report of the Board election, an update on the status of LLI from the President, and presentation of scholarship awards. The meeting always includes some special entertainment. |
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| D. Standing Committees The standing committees responsible for the operation of the Institute are:  Administration -
Performs needed functions such as office management,
files, scheduling and computer support. Catalog -
Receives course information and other information,
edits the catalog contents, and arranges for
printing and distribution of LLI catalogs for the
fall and spring terms. Communications - Manages
external publicity and also manages member
communications when those communications are
directed to the membership as a whole. Curriculum -
Selects Facilitators and courses, schedules courses
each term; obtains all needed information for
preparation of the catalog entries. Finance -
Advises the Board on financial matters, prepares and
administers the budget. Hospitality - Provides and
serves refreshments for all planned LLI events such
as Lunch & Learn, course previews and the Annual
Meeting. Human Resources - Collects information from
LLI members, recruits for committees and develops
future leaders. Membership - Maintains membership
records, registers members and enrolls them for
classes, receives and transmits payments, and
advises the Board on membership matters. Newsletter
- Plans, writes and edits issues of the LLINES
newsletter; arranges for printing and distribution. Recruitment - Engages in activities to recruit
members with attention to increasing membership
diversity. Special Events - Develops educational and
social opportunities for members by scheduling Lunch
& Learn presentations, Winter Session events,
trips and other events. Volunteer -
Recruits, upon request, volunteers for LLI and NCC
projects, schedules and handles mailings, meeting
Post Office requirements. |
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| Onsite links: LLI Bylaws - Board and committees | |
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| A. Eligibility. Membership is open to all persons aged 50 and over. |
| B. Academic year: June 1st of one year to May 31st of the following year. |
| C. Membership dues: $30 per academic year. |
| D. Privileges: Members can:
Enroll in courses
for $20/course/term
Receive Fall, Winter, and Spring
catalogs by mail.
Receive LLines, the LLI newsletter
by mail.
Attend the Brown Bag Lunch & Learn
programs
Enjoy five weeks of Winter Session events
Participate in day trips
Volunteer to help run LLI
Volunteer to be a Facilitator
Use the NCC library. [Show your LLI membership
card and ID to get a library card]
Use the NCC Fitness Center. [Show your LLI
membership card.]
Use the NCC computer
rooms. [Show your drivers license to get a temporary pass.] |
| E. Member data privacy LLI maintains a membership database with name and postal address, telephone number, email address, and other personally identifiable information of persons who have provided such information to LLI by mail, telephone, or e-mail. The information is shared with Norwalk Community College. LLI will occasionally provide single-use mailing labels to third parties if the mailing is judged by the Board of Directors to be of benefit to LLI members. |
| F. Publicity and privacy No LLI publications contain member addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses. On the LLI website, no names are provided in photo captions without permission. Note: During LLI classes and at LLI events, photos may be taken for publicity purposes. If you do not wish to have your picture taken, please tell the photographer. |
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| V.A. Fall and Spring terms | ||||||||||||
| Each fall and spring, members chose among over 40 courses taught by Facilitators, who are LLI members. |
| Members select courses they want to attend and there is never any pressure to produce grades and no stress. Each member has the opportunity to be as active or as passive as he/she wants to be, in a place where everyone's opinions are valued, and everyone's thoughts are heard. |
A.1. Significant dates  Catalog mailing
(start-date
minus six weeks). Printed catalogs are sent to the homes of
all members. The catalogs contain descriptions of all the
courses, dates, times and locations, and membership
applications and registration forms. They also
contain descriptions of the Lunch & Learn
programs. All of the program information is also
available on the LLI website. Courses Preview Fair
(start-date minus four weeks). At an
Open-House/Fair, members and prospective
members can meet the Facilitators and learn about
the courses. Members can also register for courses
that day. Priority registration
date (start-date minus three
weeks). Registrations
received by the date specified in the catalog before 3:00 PM have priority
over registrations received by mail or walk-in after
that date.(Maximum and minimum class sizes are determined by the Facilitator and the Curriculum Committee.) Lottery date
(the day after the priority registration
date). If any courses are over-subscribed, a lottery
is held to select successful candidates. Course
confirmations are mailed, and unsuccessful
candidates are informed about
alternatives. Posting of open
courses. Before classes begin, a list of open
courses is posted outside our office and on the bulletin board
adjacent to the Admissions Office, East Campus. Late
Registration. An LLI member is on duty at
the LLI office from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM during the registration
period and the first week of classes. After the
first week, inquire about the remaining open classes
by telephone. Late enrollments are
accepted on a space-available basis. |
| A.2. Class dates and locations Class
dates and times. The courses run from four
to eight weeks, once a week. LLI classes
are held each afternoon Monday through
Thursday: from 1:00-2:45, 3:00-4:45.
Friday morning classes are 10:00-noon.
Locations.
Most classes are held at NCC, but some are held at
other locations. Classroom
numbers. Members normally receive
classroom numbers with their mailed confirmation of
enrollment. Room numbers are also posted outside the
LLI office, on the bulletin
board adjacent to the East Campus Admissions Office,
and on the LLI website.
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| A.3. Registration Registration forms are included in the catalog and available on the website. You can deliver your form to the LLI office, or send it by mail, or submit it at the Course Previews. We are not able to accept telephone, fax or email registrations. Dues and Fees. Membership dues are $25 for the academic year (June 1 - May 31). Course fees are $15 per course per term. Birth date. All members must enter their birth date on the registration form. This is an NCC requirement. Members cannot be registered unless the information is provided. NCC Foundation Fund. A contribution to the NCC Foundation Fund can be included in your check for dues and fees. An acknowledgement of your contribution will be sent. Your contribution may be tax deductible. Companionship Registration. Companions may enroll in the same class together, provided both registrants specify their need on both registration forms. If the course chosen is a lotteried course, if one registrant is not chosen, neither registrant is admitted. Class Assistant. Each class is assigned a class assistant to help the Facilitator. The assistant takes attendance, reads class announcements, and helps with the distribution of Facilitator handouts. When enrolling for a course, a member can volunteer to be the class assistant. If the course is over-subscribed, the class assistant is exempt from the lottery. Refunds and transfers. Refunds are issued if members cannot be enrolled in desired courses. Non-attendees and transferees are not issued refunds. Cancellation of Courses. LLI reserves the right to cancel a scheduled course for low registration, non-availability of a Facilitator or any other unavoidable circumstance. Affected members will be notified. |
| A.4. When the term is in session Non-attending members. Members who fail to attend classes in which they are enrolled may be replaced. Guest Policy. Members and non-members may be guests in one class only, once a term, provided that the Facilitator agrees, room capacity allows it, and the guest's name, address and phone number are given to the Class Assistant. Seating priority will be given to current members. |
| Cancellation
of classes. When NCC is
closed or cancels classes because of snow
or other circumstances, LLI classes are
also canceled. The college provides
information about cancellations or delayed
openings via many local radio and TV
stations, and the main NCC phone number
(857-7000). Facilitators who elect to cancel a class when NCC is open will make arrangements to advise all class members of the change. |
| Onsite links: Directions to other venues |
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| V.B. Winter Session |
| During the Winter Session one class
is offered each day for a period of five weeks. The
schedule is mailed to members a few weeks before
the session begins. A flyer with room numbers is
mailed shortly before the session begins. All
information is also available on the LLI
website. Time. Monday through Thursday afternoons: 1:00-3:00. Friday mornings: 10:30-noon. Place. NCC. Room numbers are posted outside the LLI office. Attendance is limited by the room capacities posted by the college. Entry. The classes are free for members. Pre-registration is not required. Guest policy. Guests may be permitted on a one-time basis when space is available. Attendance records will be kept. Cancellation of classes. When NCC is closed or cancels classes because of weather or other circumstances, LLI classes are also canceled. The college provides information about cancellations or delayed openings via many local radio and TV stations, and the main NCC phone number (857-7000). If the college will be open, but a Winter Session event will be canceled, LLI notifies radio station WNLK and (if possible before 10:00 a.m.) places a recorded message on the LLI answering machine (857-3330). |
| V.C. Lunch & Learn |
| During all sessions we have a
Friday afternoon Brown Bag Lunch & Learn series. The
schedule and information about each event are in each
term's catalog and on the LLI website. Time. Coffee and refreshments are served from 12:30-1:00. The presentation is from 1:00-2:00. Place. NCC, usually in the East Atrium and Forum. Entry. The programs are free for members. Pre-registration is not required. Because seating is limited, one ticket per person is issued for that day's presentation to members present at 12:30. Guest policy. Guests may be permitted on a one-time basis when space is available. Attendance records will be kept. |
| V.D. Day trips |
| Members-only day trips are organized from time to
time to interesting places in Connecticut and
environs: e.g. Mark Twain's home, West Point, and
New York City museums. Notice. Flyers mailed to members before the event include the day's itinerary, costs, and registration forms. Information and forms are also available on the LLI website. Entry. Members only. Pre-registration is required. Priority registration date. A priority registration date is shown on the registration form. If the trip is oversubscribed, a lottery is held on that date to select those members whose registrations are accepted for the trip. Those not accepted are placed on a waiting list. |
| A. Help run LLI LLI is a volunteer operation. All the functions needed to run the Institute are provided by committees. The organization could not function without member participation in the work of the committees. Some tasks require strong year-round commitment, other require only a few hours of time. Volunteers get to meet and socialize with other members with like interests, learn new skills, and have a say in the running of the operation. The Human Resources Committee matches committee needs with members who volunteer to help. It arranges periodic hospitality hours where new members learn about how the organization works and talk with committee chairs. If you would like to help, please call 857-3330 and leave a message, or write to info@lifetimelearners.org. Someone from the HR Committee will get back to you. |
| B.
Be a course Facilitator If you have a particular skill, avocation, hobby-- a deep interest in some area -- and enjoy sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm, consider becoming a course Facilitator. In addition to the enjoyment of sharing their interests and expertise with others and of learning along with their peers, Facilitators are given free memberships, are exempt from course lotteries, and receive a small honorarium. If you would like to consider being a Facilitator, please call 857-3330 and leave a message, or write to info@lifetimelearners.org. Someone from the Curriculum Committee will get back to you. |
| Onsite links: Volunteer profile form |
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